Content

This unit prepares teachers (and allied professionals) for their statutory obligations in preventing, identifying, responding to and notifying suspected child abuse. The unit seeks to develop teachers' (and other professionals’) competence in the area of school-based child protection in particular. Knowledge and skills in recognising all forms of child abuse and understanding the contexts in which it occurs will be developed throughout the unit. The operation of child protection services will be examined and the potential for teachers' effective collaboration explored. Teachers will be encouraged to apply their research and analysis skills in a variety of ways, for example, designing professional development offerings in child protection, incorporating personal safety education in the curriculum, forging community links and evaluating school policy and procedures against relevant policy/legislative frameworks.

Topics to be addressed in this unit include: Mandatory reporting/notification of child abuse, researching and analysing child maltreatment (causes and effects), appropriately responding to disclosures of abuse, curriculum in prevention education, child protection resources, community services and policy (school/departmental/system), diversity and heightened vulnerability (e.g. children with disability, children in out-of-home care and cultural factors).

Assessment

Report: Research and analysis of the child protection literature to facilitate the appropriate identification, response and reporting of suspected child abuse, together with a justification of the expanded contribution of schools and teachers to community work, 3000 words, 40%

Application: Designing a program/policy to respond to contextual needs in schools (or other settings) based on an evaluation of current practice. For example, the design of either a personal safety curriculum component, a staff professional development program or an evaluation of child protection policy, 3000 words, 50%

CloudDeakin Participation: Contributions, based on unit readings and activities as a team member/individual to online discussions via CloudDeakin, 10%

HURDLE REQUIREMENTS FOR E734 and E744SP STUDENTS ONLY

Completion and documentation of 2 days of professional development relating to child protection practice.

Knowledge of relevant child and family support services within the community.

Students who fail a hurdle requirement will be ineligible for a Pass Conceded grade for that unit and will receive a result of no more than 44% for that unit, waived under special consideration arrangements